The Kin
by songspazz
Summary: Beth's mother decides to pay her a surprise visit, but she's the one who's in for a surprise when she finds the same man who she went to for help twenty-two years earlier standing there in her daughter's living room. Post-Sonata. Feedback please!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 "Mr. St. John, please help me.. Someone took my daughter"  
It was the first thing Beth's mother said to me. Those words changed my life.  
She was holding Beth's picture when she came to me for help, and even then, as she put it in my hand, I felt a connection that would tie me to her for the next twenty-two years. Josef spent years trying to get me to come to my senses and walk away, but I couldn't. I was consumed with this need to protect her, to look out for her, and it gave me something I hadn't had in a while. Purpose. Someone to live for.  
Oh, Josef had a field day with that piece of information... He thought I'd finally lost it, and I'll admit, following someone around without their knowledge for most of their life isn't exactly the sanest way to spend your time. But once I saw that terrified look in her eyes, I had to make sure that she never felt that way again, and from that day on, Beth was never far from my mind. Her mother, on the other hand, I hadn't given much thought to since then. That is, until the day she decided to pay Beth a little surprise visit.  
And well... Imagine her surprise when she found me there.

It was the first quiet night that Mick and Beth had come across in days what with her new job at the DA's office and the mess he'd had to deal with since the close call with Emma and Jackson. So naturally the couple decided to stay in and spend it alone.  
Mick sat on the couch, drink in hand, in her apartment and watched as she paced the kitchen, trying hard to cut the phone call she was currently having short. She was clearly exhausted and wanting to relax.  
"You sure you don't want to just turn in early tonight?" he asked, coming up behind her as she hung up the phone, "We can do this another night if you're tired..."  
"No, I want you here," she turned and placed her hand gently against his chest, "It's the only thing that got me through today..."  
He brushed her hair from her face and smiled softly at her remark.  
"So go sit," she added, giving him a light push toward the living room, "I'm just going to make me a drink."  
"I'll get it," he replied, walking passed her and taking a glass from the cabinet before she could object.  
After pouring her usual drink, he returned to take her hand in his and led her toward the couch. They both made themselves comfortable, tangled in each other's arms on the couch's soft cushions.  
"Mmm," she sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned back against his chest. He found it funny sometimes just how completely smitten he was with her. He loved being close to her. The warmth of her skin, the scent of her hair, the way her chest rose and fell with every breath. She was intoxicating. And right when he was about to show her just how happy he was to be so close to her, the sound of someone knocking at the door ruined all his fun.  
"Ignore it," he growled playfully, flashing her an almost sadistic grin. "Down boy, I think you can wait a few minutes," she laughed, prying herself from his grasp to answer the door.  
"Ok but just so you know, if it's Talbot, I'm not above biting him!"  
"Then let's hope for the sake of my paycheck that it's not," she quipped as she turned the knob and opened the door.  
"Surprise!"  
Her body stiffened which Mick noticed immediately, and he rose to his feet behind her. "...Mom" 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I knew I should've called..." the woman in the doorway replied, noting the sudden change in her daughter's body language, "You have company, don't you? I'm sorry, sweetheart... I can come back later..."  
"No! I mean yes, I do have company, but come in," Beth stammered, a smile spreading across her face as she let the door fall open.  
"It's just that I hadn't been able to make it to Josh's funeral, and I felt awful about it, and I thought you might need some cheering up or someone to talk to," her mother explained as she breezed past her into the apartment, but the sight of her daughter's guest stopped her dead in her tracks.  
She looked like she'd seen a ghost, an understandable reaction to seeing a man who hadn't changed in over two decades.  
"Hi, I'm Mick St. John," he jumped in, forcing a smile and trying to act as natural as he could, "I believe you knew my father..."  
Hey, it worked before.  
Her eyes softened a bit, and he could see the shock in them fading a little. She let out a small laugh and her hand flew to her heart.  
"Meredith Turner," she replied after a moment, shaking his outstretched hand.  
The room went quiet as both Mick and Beth let out a silent sigh of relief, and Meredith's eyes darted curiously between the pair.  
"Oh, sorry!" Beth piped in, realizing that she hadn't said a word or moved an inch since her mother walked in.  
She turned to close the door before crossing the few steps that seperated her from the others who were standing near the bar of the kitchen.  
"Sit, make yourself at home," Beth spoke up again, motioning toward the nearby couch.  
"Well, actually I thought we might could go out to dinner, if you'd like... My treat," she offered hopefully, "And I'd love for you to join us, Mick."  
"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude..." he began, but the sudden look of disappointment on Beth's face was enough to change his mind, "I'd love to."  
"Great! I'll let you two get ready and meet you at Blair's around nine."  
And with that, she was out the door.  
"Nicely played, St. John."  
"Yeah, I don't remember her being that intimidating the first time around," he remarked with a grin before taking her by the hand and pulling her close to him, "Now where were we?"  
"Oh no you don't," she laughed in response, pushing away just enough to look him in the eyes, "Blair's is really nice, and I still have to shower and change..."  
Mick's disappointment didn't go unnoticed so when she reached the door to her room, she turned back, and with a playful grin, she held up her finger and motioned for him to follow which he did with great pleasure.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Mick stepped out and made his way around to the other side of his Mercedes to open the passenger door. Beth smiled up at him sweetly, and he held out his hand to help her out. She looked stunning, wearing a deep red dress that hugged her body perfectly. She was trying to drive him crazy, and it worked.  
As soon as she was out of the car, Mick pulled her against him and kissed her deeply before pulling back so that his lips lingered not even an inch away.  
"What was that for?"  
"You look beautiful," he whispered softly.  
And he wanted the guys who were staring at her like wolves on the hunt to know she was his, but he decided it best not to mention that part to Beth.  
"I still don't get why my mom chose this place... It's not really her style," Beth admitted as they made their way toward the entrance, "She's never really been one for the lavish..."  
"Maybe she's just trying to make it up to you for missing Josh's funeral, like she said..."  
"Yeah... Maybe..." Beth replied as they walked in through the building's double doors, but she still didn't sound very convinced.  
"Hi, reservation for Meredith Turner," Mick told the hostess, and they were quickly showed to their seats.  
The dinner started off on a good note with the three of them ordering their favorite drinks, and the conversation seemed to flow much better than it had before. Mick noticed a lot of similarities between Beth and her mother. They had the same wit, the same smile, but he could sense that Beth was much more independent than her mother which was one of his favorite things about her.  
"So how do you two know each other?" Meredith finally asked the question they both knew was coming.  
"I met Mick at one of the crime scenes I was reporting on... He's a P.I.-" "Family profession," Mick added.  
Beth smiled at him and reached beneath the table to take his hand in hers.  
"We've been working together ever since."  
"Why if it isn't the happy couple," they heard a familiar voice speak up from behind them, and Mick didn't even have to look to know who it was. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Hello, Josef," Beth was the first to speak, giving Mick a slight nudge as she noticed the displeased look on his face at the sudden interruption. This was obviously a night he wished to keep vampire-free; aside from himself, of course.  
"And how, may I ask, did you manage to get my boy here to sell his soul and come out to mingle with the devils of high society?" Josef asked with a smirk as a woman in a hot pink dress walked up and offered him a drink. He took the glass from her well-manacured hand and let his eyes glide slowly down the length of her frame before she turned and walked away. "She must have promised you a good night," he added casually as he raised the glass to his lips. "Josef, this is Meredith... Beth's mother," Mick spoke up, practically biting each word out seperately and glaring angrilly at the man beside him.  
"Ah..." the elder vampire cringed slightly, his body becoming noticably stiffer, "I never was very good with parents..."  
"And this time's no exception. Meredith, this is my associate, Josef Kostan."  
"Pleasure," Josef stated, turning his attention to the third member of their dinner party who had, up to this point, remained silent.  
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kostan," she replied somewhat insincerely, "Would you care to join us?"  
"Oh no, he was just leaving," Mick was quick to respond. But Josef, never wanting to turn down an opportunity to get under his best friend's skin, had to disagree.  
"I'd love to," he turned to glance across the room, and with a snap of his fingers, two of the servers were hurrying over and setting up a place for him.  
Beth, who had been watching the interaction between the others at the table, decided to take pity and break the silence that had fallen as Josef took his seat.  
"Well, I should probably clarify that Mick and I are dating," she spoke up matter-of-factly. "So I hear," her mother responded, clearly taken a little aback.  
"So you hadn't told her yet, I gather..." Josef asked in a lowered voice, directing his comment to the man seated to his right who just glared in response, "Just catching up."  
"We should probably take a trip to the bar," Mick decided and stood up from his seat.  
"But we've already got our drinks," Josef countered, not even attempting to conceal his enjoyment of the situation he had inadvertantly created.  
"Let's go," Mick tugged at Josef's arm a little rougher than he had to, and he eventually gave in to following him to the back of the restaurant where the bar was located.  
"Mom, I was planning on telling you at some point tonight," Beth began, but was quickly cut off.  
"What? That, only three months after your boyfriend's death, you're dating a guy that I've never even heard you speak of?"  
"Actually, Mick and I have been dating for two months now..." Beth admitted, unashamed, "We've been friends for about six months..."  
"Oh really, Bethany..." her mother scolded, "How do you think this looks?"  
"I don't care..." she replied with a slight laugh that surprised even her.  
"How can you say that? I mean, I expected you to be a wreck..." the older woman paused a moment before looking seriously into her daughter's eyes as a thought came to her mind, "Were you having an affair?"  
"No," Beth scoffed, taking offense to her mother's accusation, "I would have never done that to Josh."  
"But you just happen to start dating a man that was supposedly just a friend only a month after his death, and that's supposed to be better?"  
"I love him," Beth stated certainly.  
"Of course... You two were together for over a year-"  
"No, not Josh... Mother, I am trying to tell you something important," she cut in, making sure that she had her full and undivided attention, "I am in love with Mick... I've never felt this way about anyone..."  
"Hm, did you catch that?" Josef smirked as they neared the table.  
"Shut up," Mick replied, but he couldn't contain the smile that was tugging at his lips. 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I would like to take this time to apologize for the length of my previous chapters. Up until now, I haven't been able to get the internet to work for my laptop, and because of that, I had to use my parents desktop computer which left me with only Notepad and Wordpad to work with. And since neither of those have a page counter, I was taking a shot in the dark at the lengths of my work each time. However, those days are behind me now (hopefully for good) and I will be able to provide my wonderful readers with much more to read. This particular chapter might be a little shorter than I wished as well, but I really wanted to end it at a certain spot, so I hope you don't mind. :) Thank you so much for sticking with me through this. I hope you enjoy where the story goes from here, and please keep up the suggestions, comments, and questions! This story is being written as I'm posting it so you never know what will be put into use.

**Chapter 4**

"Miss us?" Josef asked with a grin as the two of them neared the table.

"Terribly," Beth replied dryly, giving Josef a teasing smirk as he passed, but that was quickly replaced by a gentle smile as she and Mick caught eachother's eye.

"I swear.. Those two are like a couple of teenagers," Josef grumbled as he plopped down into his chair, "Some people are trying to eat here, you know?"

"Speaking of which, I'm starving... Where's our waiter?" Beth asked, looking around the room, "For such an expensive place, the service kinda sucks..."

"That's because a lot of people come here to discuss business they would rather keep... private," Josef explained, choosing his words carefully, "And they prefer the staff to stay at a distance until they're ready for them... Besides, most come here for the atmosphere and the company rather than the service."

He mimicked Beth's actions, glancing around the room to meet eyes with their appointed server, and was immediately noticed.

"You know, I don't think I like this place..." Beth replied decidedly, crossing her arms across her chest to further reiterate her point.

Mick laughed and rubbed her back reassuringly as the server reached the table where they were seated.

"Yes sir, how may I help you?"

"I believe the ladies are ready for their food," Josef answered, gesturing toward them with a sweep of his hand.

"Ah yes," the young server said eagerly, turning his attention to them with an expectant look.

Beth went first, ordering salad, pasta, and a glass of champagne. Then Meredith, who ordered steak and a very nice red wine. But when the server turned to the men, they kept it simple, each ordering his favorite drink.

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Meredith asked as the server disappeared from sight once again, addressing the two men for the first time since they had excused themselves to go to the bar.

"Oh no, I already ate," Josef answered and his smile told Beth that it probably wasn't a lie.

"And I'm kind of on a particular diet..." Mick added, his response also not a lie.

"Mom, I have to ask... How are you possibly able to afford a place like this?" Beth finally expressed the thought that had been on her mind all night.

"I met someone..." the older woman stated simply, taking a sip of her drink in an attempt to hide the smile on her face, "And on top of all the other appealing traits he has, he also happens to be fairly... well, rich."

"Oh my god..." Beth replied, clearly not expecting to hear that, "Well, what- what is he like? What's his name? Give me details!"

"His name is Charles Fitzgerald."

Josef coughed, choking on his wine at the mention of the man's name, but he quickly tried to regain his composure and motioned for her to continue.

"He um.. He was a hedge fund trader in New York, and I met him while he was out here for a business trip. We both just happened to strike up a conversation while we were waiting at the subway for our train to come and hit it off. And well... he's moving to LA," she finished, now wearing her smile with pride.

"That's... Congratulations, Meredith! Will you excuse us again for just a moment," Josef spoke up quickly, but though he was speaking to her, his eyes stayed locked on Mick, and without waiting for a response, he had risen from his chair and started toward the bar again with Mick following swiftly behind.

"Josef, it's probably just a coincidence..."

"Coincidence?" he turned mid-stride, "The name maybe. Hell, I'd even admit that the fact that he's a hedge fund trader _could possibly_ be a coincidence! But not the rest."

Josef turned and motioned to the bartender to bring him another drink before taking a seat.

"The rest?" Mick asked with a look of confusion, joining him at the bar, "The rest of what?"

With a quick glance around him to assure no one was listening, he took the drink that the man had placed next to him and downed it in one swift motion.

"I came to LA in 1951 from New York. And I was planning to go back for a while until..." Josef looked down and began adjusting the cuff around his wrist to avoid Mick's eyes as he continued, "'Til I met Sarah, waiting for a train, I might add."

"I'm not denying that it's kinda weird, but after a couple of centuries, don't you think you're bound to run into a few people with similar lives?"

"Not that similar."

"I think you're over-reacting to this a little," Mick replied, also motioning for a drink.

"We need to find out everything we can about this guy..." Josef continued as if he hadn't heard him, "And by _we_, I mean you of course."

"Josef..."

"I helped you when Coraline showed up," he shot back, grabbing Mick's drink and downing it as well.

"Yeah, after I had to practically throw her in your face!"

"That's beside the point..." Josef countered but then let out a short sigh after a moment and turned his attention to the empty glass in his hand, "Will you help me... Please?"

"Damn it, Josef..." Mick replied, looking across the room at Beth for a moment before finally turning back, "Of course I will..."

"Great! Fantastic! I knew you would do the right thing," Josef relished in his small victory, "Bartender, two more!"

After a moment, the man behind the counter set two glasses down in front of them, and Josef took both, handing one to Mick and keeping the other for himself.

"The please was a good touch, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

"Then again, you always were a softy..."

"Do you have to get the last word every time?"

"I can't help it that my wit leaves you feeling inferior, Mick..." Josef replied, turning around in his chair to face away from the bar, "Oh, and don't look now, but your girlfriend's coming to play..."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for keeping up with my story and reviewing! I absolutely love reading them! :)

**Chapter 5**

"My mom went to the restroom so I don't have long," Beth began as she reached them, wearing an eager look that Mick knew all-too-well, "What's going on?"

"Josef thinks he's a victim of identity theft."

"I think that's a bit of an understatement!" the elder vampire retorted with a scoff.

"Oh yeah, the Charles Fitzgerald thing? It _is _kind of an odd coincidence," Beth replied, still speaking straight to Mick.

"It is _not_ a coincidence!" Josef interjected yet again, now turning his entire body toward them, "A coincidence would be like someone you know wearing the same shirt as you, not someone living the same _life_! Why am I the only one who sees that..?"

"He does have a point..."

"Thank you! I knew I always liked you better than Mick."

"Hey, I'm the one investigating this guy for you, remember?" Mick replied coolly, taking a swig of his drink and placing the empty glass back down on the bar behind him, "Show a little gratitude, will ya?"

"You're going to investigate my mother's boyfriend?" Beth asked in surprise, and Mick turned back to her quickly with a sheepish look.

"Yeah... Is that weird?"

"A little... But if there's any question of my mom's safety then I can't really object... But I hope you don't expect me to just sit back and watch. I'm in on this too," she answered decidedly.

"I wouldn't expect any different," Mick responded with a sly smirk, "I mean, we already established that we make a pretty good team, right?"

His comment earned him the most devilish smile he'd ever seen, and it made his breath catch in his throat. But their moment didn't last long before she turned away, peering over her shoulder quickly to see her mother walking back toward the table.

"No disappearing before dinner's over," she said quickly, poking him in the chest playfully, "You're not getting out that easy..."

And with that, she was on her way back to the table as well, and Mick watched her every step in adoration.

"You are _so_ whipped," Josef laughed, slipping the bartender a fifty as he rose to his feet once again, "But I must admit... I see why."

"Don't get any bright ideas, Kostan," Mick replied in a low growl, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Wouldn't dream of it... Well-"

"I don't wanna know."

"Right."

After the group had finished their dinner, and all of their glasses were emptied, they agreed to call it a night. As they made their way out of the restaurant, Josef was the first to excuse himself, claiming to be tired.

_An obvious lie._

"Meredith," he acknowledged with a motion that fell somewhere between a nod and a bow before he turned back to the others.

His eyes moved between the couple as his face twisted into an almost troubling smirk, and Mick groaned inwardly as if reading the other man's thoughts.

"Beth," Josef spoke up, his voice now suddenly much smoother than usual, "Always a pleasure..."

He took her hand in his in one swift motion and kissed it gently, wiggling his eyebrows jokingly at his friend as he stepped back toward his car and opened the driver's side door.

"Mick, I'll see you bright and early... We have a lot to discuss," he added, falling back into the seat and speeding off.

"Thank you so much for dinner, it was wonderful," Beth said after a moment, once again the savior of awkward silences, and stepped forward to embrace her mother, "I'm really glad you came by."

"Next time, I'll make sure to call first," she responded with a smile before moving to address the man behind her, "And it was very nice to meet you, Mick... It's good to know that my Beth has someone taking such good care of her... Especially with everything that's happened."

"Oh, I can't take credit for that... Beth's not much for being catered to," Mick replied, his eyes meeting with hers for a moment before returning to the other woman, "She's incredibly strong..."

"And a good judge of character... I look forward to getting to know you better, Mr. St. John," she said with a slight smirk and a sparkle in her eye as she turned away toward her car, "You two have a good night!"

"Night," they both returned in unison, and once she was out of sight, Beth closed the space separating them and snaked her arm around his neck.

"I think she likes you," the blonde spoke up with a smile before lightly brushing her lips against his.

"You don't think she suspected anything?"

"I guess we'll find out when she calls tomorrow," Beth replied vaguely, releasing him and starting for the car.

The extra swing in her hips did not go unnoticed, but he wasn't letting the conversation end there.

"What makes you think she's going to call tomorrow?" he called after her.

"Girl talk."

"About what?" he furrowed his brow, starting to follow behind her, "What about, Beth?"

Many hours later, Mick lay propped up on his side next to Beth, gazing down in awe of her as she slept. His hand gently swept over the mass of blonde waves that fell across her back, and he relished in the memories of their night with each other. He wanted to take in as much as he could of this moment because he knew that it would be ending soon.

He hated having to leave her.

After a few more minutes, he leaned down, placing a lingering kiss on her bare shoulder and watched as her eyes fluttered open. He would rather let her sleep, but he knew she really didn't like him leaving without saying goodbye.

"Already?" she pouted as her eyes adjusted in the dark.

He gave her a simple nod, a smile stretched across his face and clearly still glowing from the night's endeavors.

"Mmm..." she closed her eyes for a moment and turned onto her back so that she could look up at him, "I think my body might still be tingling..."

"Mine hasn't stopped," he replied, pushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

"I think we outdid even ourselves that last time..."

"I think you're right..." he agreed, leaning down to connect his lips with hers.

The kiss was sweet and perfect, and he pulled back after a moment with a look of utter contentment in his eyes as he brushed his thumb across her cheek.

"...I love you."

"I love you too."

_How could life possibly get better than this?_

And then their perfect moment was broken by the ring of his cell phone.

He hated Josef.

"You should answer..." Beth spoke sweetly, running her hand through his hair as he let his head fall in exasperation.

"I know," he said, clicking the call button and placing the receiver to his ear, "What?"

"Oh, don't pretend like you're not in a good mood," the man on the other end replied, and he could almost hear the smirk in his voice, "This is just a friendly reminder that you need to drag your _ass_ out of that bed and get back to your freezer so we can get started on this at dusk... Sharp!"

"Yeah, yeah I got it!" Mick growled back, "Goodbye, Josef."

He flipped the phone shut and dropped it next to him on the bed.

"Go," she smiled softly, letting her hand rest on his cheek.

"I'll stop by before I go to Josef's," he replied, knowing it was her day off.

"Promise?" she grinned.

"Oh yeah."

And with that, he was up, gathering his clothes together and put them back on one item at a time as Beth watched his every move shamelessly.


	6. Author's Apology

A/N: Hi, I hate to put up one of these apology posts, but I felt like I needed to explain my absence to the people who have been waiting so patiently for the next chapter of this story. Ever since I finished the last chapter, I've been struggling with this next one in particular because, to me, it is one of the more important to the story, and I was determined to wait until it was right before I posted it. I even went to another author here on for advice (which is something that I have never done before lol) from whom I received a great amount of advice and encouragement which I am so grateful for! But as fate would have it, the moment I really started to get somewhere with this next installment, I got called into work for both of my jobs almost every day for a week and a half after that. And on top of that, I am in the process of moving which I have to do by next week so those are the only reason I have had to keep you all waiting for so long, and I am SO sorry for that! But I am hoping to have the rest of the chapter done very soon, and I hope you can all continue to be patient with me because I promise it will be worth it! I am very excited about the direction the story is going from here, and I think you will be too. :)

P.S. To avoid any confusion (and because of my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder lol) I will be deleting this note when I am ready to upload the real "Chapter 6". That way, the numbers for the chapters won't be off.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"He's got some nerve, I'll give him that," Josef ranted as he paced back and forth in the foyer of his lavish home, "I mean, who does he think he is, trying to be me?"

"You're really upset about this," Mick mused, "You know they say that imitation's the sincerest form of flattery... I would've thought you'd find this kind of thing amusing."

"What I don't get is why send someone else to the restaurant?" he went on, ignoring Mick's comments as he continued to think aloud, "Why all the dramatics?"

"You know, now that you mention it, the whole thing kinda sounds like something you'd come up with... It's clever," Mick replied with a smirk.

"It's Cowardice, that's what it is," he shot back, clearly not in the mood for jokes.

It was obvious that this guy was really getting under Josef's skin which wasn't usually an easy task, but what Mick wanted to know most was why. What was Josef so worried about?

"We need to find this guy and put an end to this now," the elder vampire added quietly as he turned to gaze out of the window which Mick took as a sign that their conversation was over.

"I'll talk to Beth and see if she's found out anything else and go from there," he said as he rose from his chair and crossed to the door.

"Keep me informed. I want to know everything you know," he replied in a low voice, never taking his eyes off the scenery before him.

Mick gave a simple nod, and though unseen, he knew it was the only response Josef needed so he turned and let himself out in silence.

He arrived at Beth's apartment building about ten minutes later and was surprised when he caught wind of another vaguely familiar scent as he stepped out of the elevator onto her floor. He knocked on the door as he reached it, and after a moment, he could hear the faint shuffling of her footsteps as she rushed over to answer it.

"Forget something?" she asked as she swung open the door, and her smile seemed to brighten at the sight of him, "Oh, it's you."

"Expecting someone else?"

"Well actually, you just missed my mother, and I have some information you might be interested in hearing," she replied with a smile as she moved aside to let him in.

He grinned and shook his head in amusement as he stepped inside.

"What?" she prodded while she followed him further into the room.

"You can take the girl out of Buzzwire, but you can't take Buzzwire outa the girl..."

"Look at this," she said as she grabbed a small box off the table, changing the subject but only managing to further prove his point as she did, "My mom said that Charles asked her to give this to us to make up for him missing dinner last night... Apparently he was supposed to come along but got caught up at work and couldn't make it."

Mick took the box from her and opened it, revealing a simple yet stunning gold ring. Pretty old from the looks of it.

"I'll take this to Josef's and see if it means anything to him..." he replied, flipping the box shut and dropping it into the pocket of his coat, "What else did she say about this guy?"

"Well, for starters, he's not originally from New York. In fact, he's only been there for like fifteen years now..."

This seemed to peak Mick's interest, and he raised a brow at her curiously, "So where exactly is he from then?"

"He's lived all over Europe... Germany, Italy, England, Scottland... And when I asked her about his family, she said he never really talks about them, but he did say once that family was the reason he came to the states in the first place..."

Mick was silent as he took all of the information in so Beth took that opportunity to voice her own opinions.

"Not to jump to any conclusions, but that sounds pretty vampire-esque to me..."

"I'd better get back to Josef's," he evaded, starting toward the door before turning back to look at Beth who was quickly grabbing her coat off the couch and following behind, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you," she repiled matter-of-factly as if it had been obvious, "What? Did you think I was just going to wait around and twiddle my thumbs? My mother is involved in this case which means so am I so let's go."

And with that, she was out the door, leaving Mick with no other choice but to follow.

"So if he really did come here because of family and is using the identity Josef did when he met Sarah," Beth spoke up, breaking the silence they had settled into for the majority of the ride there, "Then maybe Mr. Whitley has something to do with this..."

"You mean like maybe he hired this guy to get Josef's attention?" Mick asked, casting a quick glance in her direction as she nodded in agreement, "It's unlikely... Last time, he didn't care if Josef knew who had killed him or not, he just wanted him dead. And I hate to say it, but Whitley was working with a very short timeline... I doubt he'd be wasting it on theatrics and games..."

"True..." Beth replied, going back to the drawing board, "But he must have known about Josef's past life in some way, and if he's only been here for ten years-"

"Beth, there's one thing you have to remember with this guy," Mick cut in, his voice taking on a very serious tone, "If we are dealing with a vamp, then there's nothing that says any of what he's told your mother is true. Vampires will lie, cheat, and kill to keep their secret... And that also means that the longer it takes me to uncover the truth about this guy, the more dangerous this situation gets for Meredith."

This realization seemed to hit Beth hard, and she fell into silence for the remainder of the ride, deeply lost in thought. She knew vampires were dangerous. She knew this better than most, but she'd gotten so wrapped up in the mystery that she hadn't stopped to think about the risks. Beth had become comfortable with the fact that she was always being protected, but who's to say this Charles Fitzgerald was doing the same for her mom?

As they pulled up to the gates of Josef's estate, Mick could sense the worry and uneasiness that his comment had cast over her. He reached his hand out and placed it over hers, bringing her attention back to him.

"Don't worry... I'm going to take every precaution I can to see that your mother is safe," he assured her, his voice soft and comforting, "I promise you that."

She managed a small smile and a nod in response, and he lifted her hand to his lips before turning to the monitor that was attached just to the left of the gate.

"Josef, open up. It's me."

There was an almost immediate response, and Mick pulled in, coming to a stop at the end of a walkway that was enclosed by an archway of vines which Beth assumed was for those especially hot and sunny days.

As they approached the entrance, Mick heard Beth gasp at the sight of the mansion before them, and a smirk subconsciously tugged at his lips.

"Welcome to Casa de la Kostan."

"Wow..." she replied while her eyes scaled the structure in awe, "A little excessive, isn't it?"

"No, it's really quite homey once you give it a chance," Josef spoke up in his usually dry and sarcastic fashion, directing the couple's attention to the doorway where he stood, "Come in."

Josef didn't wait for a response before he had turned on his heel and disappeared through the doors. Mick motioned for Beth to go first, following behind her into the spacious foyer for the second time that evening. However, this time they didn't linger there for long as Josef took them, instead, down the hallway which led to his in-home office.

"I'm guessing this isn't a cordial visit so what d'ya got for me?" Josef asked, getting straight to the point as he took a seat behind the large black desk at the center of the room.

"Nothing is definitive yet, but he claims to be from Europe," Mick began, falling into one of the empty chairs as Beth took advantage of the one next to him, "Only been in the states for about fifteen years or so, and says he came here because of family..."

"That it?" the elder vampire asked impatiently.

"Not exactly," Mick replied, making sure to study Josef's reaction carefully as he pulled the small, black box from his pocket and opened it before he placed it on the desk in front of him, "He sent this to us to apologize for missing dinner last night... Mean anything to you?"

Josef's jaw tightened and his body became stiff as he stared down in silence at the ring.

"Josef-"

"It's not mine," he replied almost too quickly.

"But you do know whose it is, don't you?" Mick prodded.

"I changed my mind, you're off the case."

"Josef-"

"I mean it, Mick. You leave this one alone," Josef snapped as his eyes shot up to meet with Mick's in a cold stare.

"He can't," Beth finally spoke up, "What about my mother?"

Josef went silent for a long moment as his gaze fell back onto the ring. He knew there was no way they would let this go, and he cursed himself for not just handling it himself.

"His name is Michel Tokoley," Josef explained, his voice now quiet and deathly serious, "He's more than 500 years old..."

"I thought Lola was the oldest vampire you knew," Mick replied, his brow furrowing in confusion, "Why'd you never mention this guy before?"

"I assumed he was dead."

The more Josef spoke about the man, the more Mick could feel something from Josef that he never thought he would. Fear.

"You need to go now," Josef said, breaking Mick from his thoughts as he rose from his chair.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me-"

"Leave. Now."

The look in Josef's eyes told Mick that if he didn't want to end the night with a fight, he would need to do what his friend said. He took Beth's hand and rose slowly from his chair, bringing her to her feet as well, but his eyes stayed locked with Josef's.

"This doesn't end here," he warned, "You brought me into this, and you know why I can't stop now..."

With his words still lingering in the thick air of the room, Mick turned and quickly led Beth from the mansion, his pace remaining constant until he reached the passenger's side of his car.

He had opened the door and was ushering Beth into the seat before he even realized that she wasn't budging.

"What the hell just happened in there?" she asked, looking at him over the car door that separated them.

"I don't know, I've never seen him like that before..." Mick replied, pushing his hand through his hair, "Whoever this Tokoley guy is, he's got Josef scared, and that's really not good."

With that, Beth let herself fall into the seat as Mick closed the door behind her, and in the blink of an eye, he was closing his own and speeding away from the mansion.


End file.
